Brazil Proposes Eight-Year Prison Sentence for Illegal Gambling Ads
Federal Deputy Kim Kataguiri has proposed a bill to criminalize advertising of illegal betting in Brazil, with penalties of up to eight years in prison for targeting children and vulnerable groups.
Kataguiri’s PL 706/2025 seeks to amend Brazil’s 1940 Penal Code by criminalizing the promotion of illegal gambling, with those found guilty facing a prison sentence of between one and four years, as well as a fine.
However, that penalty can be doubled if the person in question meets certain criteria, such as those who have advertised to children and adolescents, as well as those who have targeted vulnerable people.
Kataguiri said: “The creation of the crime of promoting illegal gambling, as per this proposal, is essential to curb the dissemination and incentive of activities that harm consumers, encourage money laundering, and exploit social vulnerabilities.”
Colombia Study Warns Against Impact of New VAT
A study from the Digital Transformation Observatory of the Universidad del Rosario has warned against the new 19 percent value-added tax (VAT) on online gambling in Colombia.
Last month, the Colombian government issued Decree No 0175, which scrapped the VAT exemption for online betting operators. The VAT will supposedly last until Dec. 31, though the industry fears this could be extended or even be made permanent.
The new study states the VAT would represent a tax equivalent to over 50 percent of the sector’s net income, which would make regulated operations unsustainable.
This could drive players to illegal operators, subsequently affecting contributions to the health sector, which stood at COP402 billion in 2023.
VaideBet Authorized by Court Order in Brazil
VaideBet will join the licensed Brazil betting market on a provisional basis after its parent company BPX Bets Sports Group was granted an injunction to offer fixed-odds betting.
The decision from judge Pablo Zuniga Dourado means BPX Bets’ VaideBet, BetPix365 and ObaBet brands were included in the regulator’s new list of brands authorized by court order, released last Friday (Feb. 28).
However, the operator Tropicalize has been removed from the list of operators authorized by court order after a Federal Regional Court decision.
Tropicalize reportedly failed to pay the BRL30 million ($5.2 million) license fee, leading to its exclusion from the market.
Entain’s Brazil Revenue Surges in 2024
Entain has highlighted product improvements as being behind its impressive growth in Brazil across 2024.
Entain’s full year 2024 results, released on March 6, revealed its Brazil revenue had rocketed by 41 percent over the year, powered by active player growth of 42 percent.
The company pointed to its introduction of instant payment withdrawals in Brazil as one of its key drivers of growth towards the end of Q4.
Entain’s SportingBet brand is among those to have received a full license in Brazil, and interim CEO Stella David and CFO Rob Wood expect this to give the company an early-mover advantage.
Paqueta Match-Fixing Hearing to Take Place in March
Brazilian soccer player Lucas Paquetá’s hearing with the English Football Association (FA) over match-fixing allegations will reportedly take place this month.
Paquetá was charged with spot-fixing of four English Premier League games in May 2024, and Sky Sports News has reported the FA is looking to ban the Brazil national soccer team player from the sport for life.
Last month, the deadline for the end of the Brazil Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI) on match-fixing in Brazil was extended to April 1, so that the FA trial with Paquetá could take place before the CPI’s findings were presented.
